My Reflection 

Educational Technology is a course that focuses on the educational uses of Information and Communication Technology. Throughout the course I have learned how valuable technology is to a classroom in this technological era. Since students are so into computer technology, it is very important that teachers know how to employ technology in the classroom to arrest the students attention. I have learned ways to incorporate technology in to the classroom and how to use them appropriately to get the best result.

 The discussions online that was weaved into this course was also an interesting part of the learning process as it has  helped me to develop an interest in having online discussions and I realized that such medium is very helpful in getting students to learn and share. In addition, having the opportunity to write my own philosophy about Educational Technology, helped me to realize that I need to be very knowledgeable about technologies as students at the early childhood stage are interesting in these technology and gadgets and I need to be able to guide them on how to use them correctly.  As a teacher in training I hope to incorporate all that I have learned during this course to maximize learning in my  future classroom.

During the course I have also learned about the ISTE standards. These standards are designed to evaluate the skills and knowledge students need to learn effectively and live productively in an increasingly global and digital world.  The first standard speaks to creativity and innovation; students apply existing knowledge to create new ideas, products or processes. The second is about communication and collaboration. Communication and collaboration allow students to work cooperatively and share information weather they are near and far, this also supports their individual learning. The third standard is about research and information fluency which state that students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate and use information. The fourth standard is ‘critical thinking, problem solving and decision making’, where children will use their critical thinking skills to plan, conduct research, and manage projects among others. The fifth standard is ‘ digital citizenship’ in which students practice legal and ethical behaviours and the last  standard is about technology operation and concept where students demonstrate an understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations. These standards are vital for us to be able to use technology effectively and appropriately to get the best result.

Having done this course I have learned how to create a blog, a web quest, a podcast a wiki and even an interactive game. I will continue to explore and learn more about these exciting medium as I would like to employ them in my classroom. I am more aware of how to use technology and I am appreciative of  the course, as it has given me a foundation  that will help me to become  technological savvy.